Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus is communicatively connected to a plurality of image sensors that capture images of surroundings of a control target device which is to be a target of power controlling. The information processing apparatus includes an attribute information generation unit and a management unit. The attribute information generation unit generates, by using the images captured by each of the image sensors, attribute information of the control target device which is under jurisdiction of at least one of the image sensors. The management unit manages the attribute information of the control target device generated by the attribute information generation unit in association with the control target device and the at least one of the image sensors having jurisdiction over the control target device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priorityunder 35 U.S.C. §120 from U.S. Ser. No. 13/820,034 filed Feb. 28, 2013,the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S.Ser. No. 13/820,034 is a National Stage of PCT/JP12/083150 filed Dec.20, 2012 which was not published under PCT Article 21(2) in English, andclaims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No.2012-017145 filed Jan. 30, 2012.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an information processingapparatus, an information processing method, and a program.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, in buildings such as office buildings or tenantbuildings, a sensing result of presence or absence of people is acquiredby using an image captured by an image sensor. Then, in accordance withthe sensing result, power controlling of electric devices such aslightings and air conditionings is performed. When such powercontrolling is performed, it is necessary to perform various settings byassociating electric devices, which are to be the target of controlling,and image sensors, which have jurisdiction over the electric devices,with each other. However, such operation may become cumbersome due to anincrease in the number of the electric devices and the image sensors.Accordingly, there has conventionally been proposed a technique todetect an installation position of a device (lightings) installed at theceiling surface, by using a position detection device that detects theinstallation position by a reception level of a radio signal.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-243806

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

However, according to the conventional technique, it is necessary toprepare a dedicated device for specifying the installation position.Thus, there is a room for improvement in terms of efficiency in thesetting operation.

Means for Solving Problem

An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment iscommunicatively connected to a plurality of image sensors that captureimages of surroundings of a control target device which is to be atarget of power controlling. The information processing apparatusincludes: an attribute information generation unit that generates, byusing the images captured by each of the image sensors, attributeinformation of the control target device which is under jurisdiction ofat least one of the image sensors; and a management unit that managesthe attribute information of the control target device generated by theattribute information generation unit in association with the controltarget device and the at least one of the image sensors havingjurisdiction over the control target device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of animage sensor system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an installation exampleof an image sensor and electric devices.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of a management terminal according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of asensor DB.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of adevice DB.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of layoutinformation.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functionalconfiguration of the management terminal according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image captured by animage sensor.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the sensor DBon which a process is performed by a sensor attribute generation unit.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image captured by theimage sensor.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of division of a detectionarea.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the sensor DBon which a process is performed by a device attribute generation unit.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the device DBon which a process is performed by the device attribute generation unit.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an operation of an installationposition specifying unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the sensor DBon which a process is performed by the installation position specifyingunit.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the sensor DBon which a process is performed by the installation position specifyingunit.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating another example of the sensor DB.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating another example of the device DB.

FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a layoutof image sensors and electric devices.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sensor DB to whichoverlap information is added.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a DB generationprocess performed by a management terminal according to the embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a layoutof image sensors and electric devices.

FIG. 23 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a layoutof image sensors and electric devices.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an image sensor system according to an embodiment of theinvention will be described in detail with reference to the appendeddrawings. In the embodiment to be described below, there is described anexample in which the image sensor system according to the invention isapplied to a building such as an office building.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of animage sensor system 100 according to the embodiment. As illustrated inthe figure, the image sensor system 100 includes image sensors 10,various electric devices 20, and a management terminal 30. Here, themanagement terminal 30 is detachably connected to each of the imagesensors 10 or to a line to which each of the image sensors 10 areconnected, and transmits and receives various kinds of information toand from each of the image sensors 10. Further, the management terminal30 is detachably connected to each of the electric devices 20 or to aline to which each of the electric devices 20 are connected, andcontrols powering on and off, output values, and the like, of each ofthe electric devices 20. The number of image sensors 10 and the numberof electric devices 20 are not particularly limited.

The image sensor 10 includes a camera unit configured by an image sensoror the like such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) (none of which isillustrated), and captures an image of a space in which the electricdevice 20 is installed by using the camera unit. Further, the imagesensor 10 has a computer configuration of a CPU (Central ProcessingUnit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and thelike, and includes a non-volatile storage unit that stores various kindsof information and a communication unit that communicates with anexternal device such as the management terminal 30 (none of which isillustrated). The image sensor 10 detects presence/absence or the likeof people by sensing an acquired image and outputs the detection resultto an external device (the management terminal 30).

The electric device 20 is a control target device which is a target ofpower controlling, and an illumination device or an air-conditioningdevice is an example thereof.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an installation exampleof the image sensor 10 and the electric devices 20. In the figure,illumination devices L installed at the ceiling are illustrated as theelectric devices 20. The image sensor 10 is installed at the ceiling assimilar to the electric devices 20, and captures an image of a spacefrom the ceiling to the surroundings of the electric devices 20. FIG. 2illustrates an example in which two desks D are installed as objects inthe room.

Here, in the image sensor system 100, a demand control unit 316 to bedescribed below performs power controlling on the electric devices 20based on a sensing result of the image sensor 10. For example, thedemand control unit 316 performs control such that the electric device20 (the illumination device L or the like) is turned on in an area, suchas the surroundings of the desk D, in which people are present, andperforms control such that the electric device 20 is turned off in anarea in which people are absent (or an output is lowered). Further, whenthe density or an amount of activity of people is output as the sensingresult of the image sensor 10, the demand control unit 316 performscontrol such that a light adjustment ratio of the illumination device ischanged and the amount of wind of an air-conditioning device is changed,in accordance with the value. The density or the amount of activity ofpeople is assumed to be calculated by using a known technique.

Here, when the above-described power controlling is performed, variouskinds of information are required to be set in advance in each device ofthe image sensor 10 and the electric devices 20. The information of theimage sensor 10 may include, for example, a sensor ID used to identifyeach image sensor 10, an IP address, an installation position in abuilding, and information of the electric device 20 which is under thejurisdiction of the image sensor 10. Further, the information of theelectric device 20 may include, for example, a device ID used toidentify each electric device 20, an installation position in thebuilding, and information of the image sensor 10 which has jurisdictionover the electric device 20. Such information is stored in a database orthe like, and is used for the power controlling of the electric device20.

However, manual registration of the information in the database iscumbersome. In particular, when the installation position of the imagesensor 10 or the electric device 20 is to be registered, a worker has toperform an operation in which the installation position and the layoutdrawing are associated with each other while visually confirming theactual device. Therefore, since it takes a considerable time, there is aproblem of inefficiency.

Accordingly, the management terminal 30 according to this embodimentimproves the efficiency of the operation for setting attributeinformation by: automatically generating an attribute informationrelevant to the above-described power controlling; and registering theattribute information in a predetermined data base. Here, in theattribute information, the image sensor 10 and the electric device 20which is under the jurisdiction of this image sensor 10 are associatedwith each other based on each image captured by the image sensor 10.Hereinafter, the management terminal 30 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of the management terminal 30. The management terminal 30is an information processing apparatus such as a PC (Personal Computer)or a server device. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the management terminalincludes a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, a storage unit 34, an operationunit 35, a display unit 36, and a communication unit 37.

The CPU 31 generally controls a process of each unit of the managementterminal 30 by loading a predetermined program stored in the ROM 32 orthe storage unit 34 on the RAM 33 and executing the predeterminedprogram. Further, the CPU 31 realizes each functional unit to bedescribed below by loading a predetermined program stored in the ROM 32or the storage unit 34 on the RAM 33 and executing the predeterminedprogram.

The ROM 32 stores various programs to be executed by the CPU 31 andsetting information. The RAM 33 is a main storage device and is used asa work memory of the management terminal 30.

The storage unit 34 is an auxiliary storage device such as an HDD (HardDisk Drive), and stores various programs to be executed by the CPU 31and setting information. Further, the storage unit 34 stores a sensor DB(DataBase) 341 that retains information on the image sensor 10, a deviceDB 342 that retains information of the electric device 20, and layoutinformation 343.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of thesensor DB 341. As illustrated in the drawing, the sensor DB 341 has, asthe attribute information of the image sensor 10 relevant to the powercontrolling, entry fields in which information on a sensor ID, an IPaddress, an installation position, a detection area, a device underjurisdiction, and the like is stored. Here, an identifier used toidentify each image sensor 10 is registered in the field of the “sensorID,” an IP address to which each image sensor 10 is assigned isregistered in the field of the “IP address,” and the installationposition of the image sensor 10 in the building is registered in thefield of the “installation position.” Further, a region (area) in whicheach image sensor 10 is sensed is registered in the field of the“detection area” and an identifier (device ID) of the electric device 20under the jurisdiction in the detection area is registered in the fieldof the “device under jurisdiction.”

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of thedevice DB 342. As illustrated in the drawing, the device DB 342 has, asthe attribute information of the electric device 20 relevant to thepower controlling, entry fields in which information on a device ID, aninstallation position, a sensor with jurisdiction, the detection area,and the like is stored. Here, an identifier used to identify eachelectric device 20 is registered in the field of the “device ID” and theinstallation position of the electric device 20 in the building isregistered in the field of the “installation position.” Further, thesensor ID of the image sensor 10 having jurisdiction over each electricdevice 20 is registered in the field of the “sensor with jurisdiction”and the detection area in which the electric device 20 is placed in theimage sensor 10 having jurisdiction over the electric device 20 isregistered in the field of the “detection area.”

The attribute information registered in the sensor DB 341 and the deviceDB 342 is automatically generated by a function of each functional unit(a sensor attribute generation unit 312, a device attribute generationunit 313, and an installation position specifying unit 314, see FIG. 7)to be described below, and is registered in the corresponding entryfields.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the layoutinformation 343. As illustrated in the figure, the layout information343 is information such as CAD (Computer Aided Design) data indicatingthe layout (design drawing) of each room in which the image sensor 10and the electric devices 20 (illumination device L) are installed. Thelayout information is assumed to include: the layouts of the imagesensor 10, the electric devices 20, and various objects (walls, windows,doors, desks D, and the like) installed indoors; and positionalinformation (for example, a floor number, a room number, a positioncode, and coordinates) indicating the absolute position in the building.

Referring back to FIG. 3, the operation unit 35 is an input device suchas a keyboard or a mouse, and outputs an input operation received from auser of the management terminal 30 to the CPU 31. The display unit 36 isa display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displayscharacters, images, or the like under the control of the CPU 31. Thecommunication unit 37 is a network interface, and transmits and receivesvarious kinds of information to and from the image sensor 10 connectedvia a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) under the control ofthe CPU 31.

Next, a functional configuration of the management terminal 30 will bedescribed. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of thefunctional configuration of the management terminal 30. As illustratedin the drawing, the management terminal 30 includes an image acquisitionunit 311, a sensor attribute generation unit 312, a device attributegeneration unit 313, an installation position specifying unit 314, alayout analysis unit 315, and a demand control unit 316, as functionalunits realized by cooperation of the CPU 31 and a predetermined program.

The image acquisition unit 311 sequentially acquires images captured bythe image sensors 10 via a network (not illustrated). An IP address usedto communicate with each image sensor 10 may be assigned in advance toeach image sensor 10. Alternatively, an IP address may be assigned toeach image sensor 10 using a technique such as DHCP.

The sensor attribute generation unit 312 recognizes a character stringindicating the attribute information from an image of the image sensor10 acquired by the image acquisition unit 311 by analyzing the image.Further, the sensor attribute generation unit 312 registers therecognized character string in a corresponding entry field of the sensorDB 341 as the attribute information.

Next, a process of the sensor attribute generation unit 312 will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. First, a marker writing downthe sensor ID and the IP address of the image sensor 10 is presentedwithin an imaging range (for example, a range immediately below theimage sensor 10) of the image sensor 10 to be set. At this time, theimage sensor 10 acquires an image including the marker M by capturing animage of the imaging range, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Here, FIG. 8 is adiagram illustrating an example of an image captured by the image sensor10.

The sensor attribute generation unit 312 recognizes the characterstrings “sensor ID: 1001” and “IP address: 192.168.0.1” described in themarker M in the image as the character strings indicated by theattribute information by analyzing the image of FIG. 8. A describingmethod on the marker and the described contents are not particularlylimited, but it is preferable to describe a pair of an entry name (thesensor ID, the IP address, and the like) of the attribute informationand the contents of the entry name. Further, the character recognitionis performed according to a known technique.

Then, the sensor attribute generation unit 312 registers the characterstrings “sensor ID: 1001” and “IP address: 192.168.0.1” recognized fromthe image of FIG. 8 in corresponding entry fields of the sensor DB 341.Specifically, “1001” is registered in the “sensor ID” field of thesensor DB 341 and “192.168.0.1” is registered in the “IP address” fieldthereof.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the sensor DB341 on which the process is performed by the sensor attribute generationunit 312. As illustrated in the drawing, the sensor ID and the IPaddress are registered by the sensor attribute generation unit 312.Thus, the sensor ID and the IP address are registered in associationwith each other for the same image sensor 10.

In this example, the IP address recognized from the image is registeredin the sensor DB 341, but the IP address acquired at the time of thecommunication with the image sensor 10 may be registered in the sensorDB 341. Further, the IP address may be used as the sensor ID. When theIP address assigned to the image sensor 10 is different from the IPaddress described in the marker, the IP address is updated to the IPaddress described in the marker.

The attribute information described in the marker is not limited to theabove-described entries, but other entries may be described. Further,when the sensor attribute generation unit 312 has a decode function ofdecoding a code symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code, thecode symbol in which the attribute information is retained may bepresented instead of the maker in which the characters are described.

Referring back to FIG. 7, the device attribute generation unit 313detects an image in which a change occurs from the images of therespective image sensors 10 obtained when the electric devices 20 areoperated, and then specifies the image sensor 10 capturing this image asan image sensor with jurisdiction over the operated electric device 20.Further, the device attribute generation unit 313 registers arelationship between the image sensor 10 and the electric device 20 thatis under jurisdiction of this image sensor 10 as attribute information,in the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342.

Hereinafter, a process of the device attribute generation unit 313 willbe described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13. First, the deviceattribute generation unit 313 turns on the power of the electric devices20 installed in the building one by one via control lines (notillustrated), and assigns unique device IDs to the powered-on electricdevices 20. Further, the device attribute generation unit 313 detectsimages in which a change occurs when the electric devices 20 are turnedon among images captured by the respective image sensors 10. Then, whenthe device attribute generation unit 313 detects the images in which thechange occurs, the device attribute generation unit 313 determines thatthe powered-on electric device 20 is under jurisdiction of the imagesensor 10 capturing the image.

For example, when the electric device 20 is an illumination device, thedevice attribute generation unit 313 detects a change in luminance inthe image by comparing images obtained before and after the targetillumination device is turned on, and detects an image in which theamount of change is greater than a predetermined threshold value. Whenthe electric device 20 is an air-conditioning device, a streamer or thelike is attached to a supply opening of the air-conditioning device, andthen the device attribute generation unit 313 detects a swing motion ofthe streamer from the image obtained after the target air-conditioningdevice is turned on, and specifies an image in which the amount ofmotion is greater than a predetermined threshold value. Further, afterdetecting the image in which the change occurs, the device attributegeneration unit 313 turns off the powered-on electric device 20, andthen the process proceeds to the subsequent process of the electricdevice 20.

The device attribute generation unit 313 specifies a relative positionalrelationship of the powered-on electric device 20 with respect to theimage sensor 10 from a change state in the detected image.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, when the electric device 20 isan illumination device L, the device attribute generation unit 313specifies a relative positional relationship (the distance anddirection) of the illumination device L with respect to the image sensor10 by analyzing the distribution (luminance distribution) of light inthe image. Here, FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of theimage captured by the image sensor 10. In case of the figure, forexample, the device attribute generation unit 313 specifies that thetarget electric device 20 is present at a position away by the distanceof 6 m in the 10 o'clock direction from the installation position(indicated by a dashed line in the figure) of the image sensor 10.

When the electric device 20 is an air-conditioning device, the deviceattribute generation unit 313 can specify a relative positionalrelationship (the distance and direction) of the air-conditioning devicewith respect to the image sensor 10 from the position at which thestreamer attached to the air-conditioning device swings.

The device attribute generation unit 313 divides the detection area ofthe image sensor 10 based on the specified relative positionalrelationship of each electric device 20 with respect to the image sensor10, and assigns an area number to each of the divided detection areas.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11, when two illumination devices Lare present in the left upper area, two illumination devices L arepresent in the right upper area, one illumination device L is present inthe right lower area, and one illumination device L is present in theleft lower area with respect to the image sensor 10, the deviceattribute generation unit 313 divides the detection area into fourdetection areas indicated by dashed lines and assigns area numbers (A11to A14) to the divided detection areas. Here, FIG. 11 is a diagramillustrating an example of the division of the detection area.

Then, the device attribute generation unit 313 assigns the device ID ofthe powered-on electric device 20 to the corresponding detection area,and registers the device ID in the sensor DB 341 in association with thesensor ID of the image sensor 10 having jurisdiction over this electricdevice 20. Further, the device attribute generation unit 313 registersthe device ID assigned to each electric device 20 in the device DB 342,and registers the sensor ID of the image sensor 10 having jurisdictionover this electric device 20 and the area number assigned to theelectric device 20 in the device DB 342 in association with this deviceID.

Here, FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of thesensor DB 341 on which the process is performed by the device attributegeneration unit 313. As illustrated in the figure, the device ID of theelectric device 20 under the jurisdiction is registered in the field ofthe “device under jurisdiction” in association with the sensor ID ofeach image sensor 10 for each detection area (area number) of this imagesensor 10 through the process of the device attribute generation unit313.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the device DB342 on which the process is performed by the device attribute generationunit 313. As illustrated in the figure, the sensor ID of the imagesensor 10 with jurisdiction over the electric device 20 and thedetection area (area number) in which the electric device 20 is presentare respectively registered in the fields of the “sensor withjurisdiction” and the “detection area” in association with the device IDof each electric device 20 through the process of the device attributegeneration unit 313.

In this embodiment, the detection area of the image sensor 10 has beendivided into the plurality of areas, but the invention is not limitedthereto. The detection area may not be divided. In this embodiment, thedevice attribute generation unit 313 has turned on/off the electricdevices 20, but the invention is not limited thereto. A worker maymanually turn on/off the electric devices.

The installation position specifying unit 314 recognizes objects such aswalls, windows, doors, or desks from images captured by the respectiveimage sensors 10, and acquires a disposition relation (layout) of theobjects. Here, a method of recognizing the objects is not particularlylimited and a known technique can be used. For example, an objectdiscrimination model may be generated by collecting images obtained byimaging a general office space and performing a learning based on theimages, and objects may be recognized from actually captured imagesusing the object discrimination model. Further, edge detection may beperformed from images, the boundaries of the walls, floors, ceilings ofa building may be extracted, and thus a disposition relation of theobjects may be recognized.

The installation position specifying unit 314 checks the layoutinformation 343 of the respective rooms using the layout acquired fromthe images of the image sensor 10 and the relative positionalrelationship of the electric devices 20 specified by the deviceattribute generation unit 313 with respect to this image sensor 10, andthen retrieves layout information having a similar layout.

Here, in similarity retrieval, for example, a disposition relation ofindoor objects or the electric devices 20 indicated by the layoutinformation is extracted as a feature amount, the degree of similarityis calculated based on the extracted feature amount, and layoutinformation with the highest similarity is acquired. Further, the layoutinformation with the high similarity may be presented before a worker,and the worker selects the layout information matching actual layoutinformation.

For example, the layout acquired from an image is assumed to be thelayout of desks D illustrated in FIG. 14, and the relative positionalrelationship between the image sensor 10 which has captured this imageand the electric devices 20 under jurisdiction of the this image sensor10 is assumed to be the state illustrated in FIG. 11. In this case, theinstallation position specifying unit 314 sets a pair of the layoutsillustrated in FIGS. 14 and 11 as a retrieval condition, and retrievesthe layout information corresponding (similar) to the retrievalcondition. Then, the device attribute generation unit 313 acquires thelayout information of FIG. 6 corresponding to the retrieval condition.

When the installation position specifying unit 314 specifies theinstallation positions of the image sensor 10 and each electric device20 installed in the room from the acquired layout information, theinstallation position specifying unit 314 registers the specifiedinstallation position of the image sensor 10 in association with thecorresponding sensor ID of the sensor DB 341, and registers thespecified installation position of the electric device 20 in associationwith the corresponding device ID of the device DB 342.

Here, FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of thesensor DB 341 on which the process is performed by the installationposition specifying unit 314. As illustrated in the figure, theinstallation position of each image sensor 10 is registered in the“installation position” field in association with the sensor ID of theimage sensor 10 through the process of the installation positionspecifying unit 314.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state of the device DB342 on which the process is performed by the installation positionspecifying unit 314. As illustrated in the figure, the installationpositions of the electric devices 20 are registered in the “installationposition” field in association with the device IDs of the electricdevices 20 through the process of the installation position specifyingunit 314.

The attribute information of the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342 isgenerated by the functions of the image acquisition unit 311, the sensorattribute generation unit 312, the device attribute generation unit 313,and the installation position specifying unit 314. Further, theinformation registered in the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342 is notlimited to the above-described attribute information, but may include amanually input entry. For example, a threshold value relevant to thesensing of the image sensor 10, an output level of the electric device20, and the like may be registered as setting information relevant tocontrol of each of the image sensors 10 and the electric devices 20.

Here, FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating another example of the sensor DB341 with which the setting information of each image sensor 10 isintegrated. The figure illustrates an example in which a mask area,various parameters (detection parameters 1 and 2) such as a thresholdvalue or the like relevant to the sensing, and the like are registeredas the setting information of the image sensor 10. The mask areaindicates an area excluded from sensing target areas among the detectionareas of the image sensor 10. For example, when the mask area is arectangle, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the coordinates of the diagonalpoints of the rectangle are registered.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating another example of the device DB 342with which the setting information of each electric device 20 isintegrated. In the figure, for example, various parameters (outputparameters 1, 2, and 3) such as a normal output value, a lower-limitoutput value, an upper-limit value are registered as the settinginformation of the electric device 20. Such setting information is usedwhen the power controlling of the electric device 20 is performed.

Referring back to FIG. 7, the layout analysis unit 315 determineswhether detection areas between the plurality of image sensors 10overlap each other based on the identity of the device IDs associatedwith the detection areas of the respective image sensors 10, referringto the sensor DB 341.

For example, when the plurality of image sensors 10 (10 a and 10 b) arearranged within the same floor, as illustrated in FIG. 19, detectionareas between the adjacent image sensors 10 a and 10 b overlap eachother in some cases. In FIG. 19, among detection areas A11 to A14 of theimage sensor 10 a and detection areas A21 to A24 of the image sensor 10b, the detection areas A13 and A22 overlap each other and the detectionareas A14 and A21 overlap each other (see hatching areas).

When the layout analysis unit 315 determines that the detection areasoverlap each other, the overlap state is resolved by distributing eachof the device IDs of the electric device 20 associated with theoverlapping detection areas to one of the image sensors 10 which areunder the overlapping relationship, and by reflecting the distributionresult to the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342. Here, a method ofdistributing the electric devices is not particularly limited. Forexample, in the state of FIG. 19, among the illumination devices L11 to22, the illumination devices L15 and L16 closer to the image sensor 10 amay be set to be under jurisdiction of the image sensor 10 a, and theillumination devices L17 and L18 closer to the image sensor 10 b may beset to be under jurisdiction of the image sensor 10 b. Here, theillumination devices L15, L16, L17, and L18 are present in the detectionareas A13 (A22) and A14 (A21). Further, all of the illumination devicesL15 to L18 present in the overlap detection areas may be set to be underjurisdiction of one of the image sensors 10.

Furthermore, by setting the overlap detection areas without change, boththe image sensors 10 a and 10 b may be configured to sense the overlapdetection areas. In this case, when presence of people is detected byone of the image sensors 10, the detection result is used. However, whenpresence of people is detected by both image sensors 10, the result maybe configured to be used. When the electric devices 20 are controlledbased on a pair of both sensing results, the layout analysis unit 315adds overlap information to the overlap detection areas in the sensor DB341 to instruct the control target (see FIG. 20).

Here, FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of the sensor DB 341in which the overlap information is added. The figure illustrates anexample in which the sensor ID of the image sensor 10 a illustrated inFIG. 19 is set to “1001” and the sensor ID of the image sensor 10 b isset to “1002.” As illustrated in the figure, an example is schematicallyillustrated in which the overlap information OL is added to each of thedetection areas A13 and A22 having the overlap relation and thedetection areas A14 and A21 having the overlap relation among thedetection areas of the image sensors 10 a and 10 b.

In this embodiment, the layout analysis unit 315 has determined whetherthe detection areas between the image sensors 10 overlap each otherbased on the identity of the device IDs associated with the detectionareas of the respective image sensors 10, but the invention is notlimited thereto. For example, the image sensors 10 having an adjacentrelation may be specified from the layout information 343 and it may bedetermined that the detection areas of the image sensors 10 having theadjacent relation overlap each other.

Referring back to FIG. 7, the demand control unit 316 performs the powercontrolling according to the sensing result input from each of the imagesensors 10 on each of the electric devices 20 under jurisdiction of thecorresponding image sensors 10, referring to the sensor DB 341 and thedevice DB 342. Specifically, when the sensing results are input from theimage sensors 10, the demand control unit 316 specifies which detectionareas are associated with the sensing results, and extracts the deviceIDs of the electric devices 20 associated with the detection area fromthe sensor DB 341. Further, the demand control unit 316 controls theoutputs of the electric devices 20 associated with the extracted deviceIDs according to the sensing results of the image sensors 10.

When the overlap information is added to the specified detection areas,the sensing results of the other image sensor 10 to which the overlapinformation is added are acquired, and the electric devices 20 underjurisdiction are controlled based on the pair of both the sensingresults.

Next, a process of the management terminal 30 will be described withreference to FIG. 21. Here, FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating anexample of a DB generation process performed by the management terminal30.

First, the image acquisition unit 311 sequentially acquires the imagescaptured by the image sensors 10 (step S11). The process of step S11 iscontinuously performed during subsequent steps S12 to S25.

The sensor attribute generation unit 312 recognizes the character stringindicating the attribute information from the images acquired by theimage acquisition unit 311 (step S12). Next, the sensor attributegeneration unit 312 registers the character string recognized in stepS12 as the attribute information in the corresponding entry field of thesensor DB 341 (step S13).

Subsequently, the sensor attribute generation unit 312 determineswhether the processes of steps S12 and S13 are performed on all of theinstalled image sensors 10 (step S14). Here, when the unprocessed imagesensor 10 is present (No in step S14), the process returns to step S12.Conversely, when it is determined that the processes of steps S12 andS13 are performed on all of the image sensors (Yes in step S14), theprocess proceeds to step S15.

In subsequent step S15, the device attribute generation unit 313sequentially turns on the electric devices 20 (step S15). When thedevice attribute generation unit 313 detects an image in which a changeoccurs in the process of step S15 among the images acquired by the imageacquisition unit 311, the device attribute generation unit 313determines that the image sensor 10 having captured this image is theimage sensor having jurisdiction over the powered-on electric devices 20(step S16).

Then, the device attribute generation unit 313 specifies the relativepositional relationship of the powered-on electric devices 20 withrespect to the image sensor 10 from the change in a state in the imagedetected in step S16 (step S17). Subsequently, the device attributegeneration unit 313 registers the attribute information generated basedon the processing results of steps S16 and S17 in the correspondingentry fields of the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342 (step S18).

Subsequently, the device attribute generation unit 313 determineswhether the processes of steps S16 to S18 are performed on all of theelectric devices 20 (step S19). Here, when the unprocessed electricdevice 20 is present (No in step S19), the process returns to step S16.Conversely, when it is determined that the processes of steps S16 to S18are performed on all of the electric devices 20 (Yes in step S19), theprocess proceeds to step S20.

In subsequent step S20, the installation position specifying unit 314recognizes the layout of objects from each image acquired by the imageacquisition unit 311 (step S20). Subsequently, the installation positionspecifying unit 314 checks the layout information 343 using a pair ofthe layout recognized from each image and the relative positionalrelationship of the electric devices 20 of the image sensor 10 of thisimage, and retrieves the layout information having a similar layout(step S21). Next, when the installation position specifying unit 314specifies the installation positions of the image sensor 10 and theelectric devices 20 based on the similar layout information which is theretrieval result (step S22), the installation position specifying unit314 registers the installation positions as the attribute information inthe corresponding entry fields of the sensor DB 341 and the device DB342 (step S23).

Subsequently, the layout analysis unit 315 specifies the detection areasoverlapping each other between the image sensors 10 based on theidentity of the device IDs associated with the detection areas of therespective image sensors 10 (step S24). Then, the layout analysis unit315 resolves the overlap state by distributing the device IDs of theelectric devices 20 associated with the overlap detection areas betweenthe image sensors 10 having the overlap relation (step S25), and thenthis process ends. Further, when the overlap information is configuredto be added, the overlap information is added to the overlap detectionareas in step S25 instead of the resolution of the overlap state.

As described above, the management terminal 30 according to thisembodiment generates the attribute information in which the image sensor10 is associated with the electric device 20 which is under jurisdictionof the image sensors 10 by using images captured by each image sensors10, and then registers the attribute information in the correspondingentry fields of the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342. Thus, since theattribute information associated with the power controlling of theelectric devices 20 can be automatically generated from the imagescaptured by the image sensors 10, the attribute information can beefficiently set.

When the change in the image may not be confirmed by turning on theelectric device 20 in the DB generation process, it may be determinedthat this electric device 20 is not under jurisdiction of the imagesensor 10 and this electric device 20 may be associated with anothersensor device located in the surroundings of this electric device 20.

For example, when illumination devices La and Lb are installed in aplace (for example, a passage or the like) out of the room in which theimage sensors 10 (10 a and 10 b) are installed, as illustrated in FIG.22, the change on the image is not confirmed in spite of the fact thatthe illumination devices La and Lb are turned on.

In this case, the device attribute generation unit 313 determines thatthe illumination devices La and Lb for which the change on the image isnot confirmed are under jurisdiction of a sensor device (an infraredsensor 41 a, 41 b, or 41 c) other than the image sensors 10, aftercompleting the generation of the attribution information on each of theimage sensors 10, causes the sensor ID of the infrared sensor 41 a, 41b, or 41 c to correspond to the device IDs of the illumination devicesLa and Lb, and registers the sensor ID and the device IDs in the sensorDB 341 and the device DB 342.

In this case, the infrared sensor 41 a, 41 b, or 41 c may be registeredin the sensor DB 341 in advance or may be manually input by an operatoreach time. Further, the sensor ID or the IP address of the infraredsensor 41 a, 41 b, or 41 c may be configured to be automaticallyassigned by the device attribute generation unit 313 or may beconfigured to be set manually by the operator.

The embodiment of the invention has been described above. Theabove-described embodiment is suggested as an example, and thus thescope of the invention is not intended to be limited. Theabove-described embodiment may be achieved in various other ways, andomissions, substitutions, changes, additions, or the like may be madevariously within the scope of the invention without departing from thegist of the invention. Further, the above-described embodiment or themodifications are included in the scope or the gist of the invention andare included in the equivalent scope of the invention described in theclaims.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the attributeinformation has sequentially been generated for the image sensors 10 andthe electric devices 20 and have been registered in the sensor DB 341and the device DB 342, but the invention is not limited thereto. In thestep of registering the attribute information for some of the imagesensors 10 and the electric devices 20, the attribute information of theother image sensor 10 and the other electric devices 20 may beconfigured to be generated using the attribute information. Hereinafter,this configuration will be described as a modification example of theabove-described embodiment with reference to FIGS. 19 and 23.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, the attribute information on the imagesensors 10 (10 a and 10 b) and the electric devices 20 (the illuminationdevices L11 to L22) is assumed to be registered in the sensor DB 341 andthe device DB 342. In this case, the installation position specifyingunit 314 retrieves the layout information 343 of another room similar tothe layout of the room in which the image sensors 10 a and 10 b and theillumination devices L11 to L22 are installed based on this layout.Here, in the case of FIG. 19, since two desks and eight illuminationdevices (four illumination devices thereof overlap) are present in theperipheries of the image sensors 10 a and 10 b, layout information 343having the same layout which is illustrated in FIG. 23 and is similar tothe layout is retrieved. Then, the installation position specifying unit314 generates the attribute information on the image sensors 10 and theelectric devices 20 included in the layout information of FIG. 23 usingthe attribute information on the image sensors 10 a and 10 b and theillumination devices L11 to L22 in FIG. 19.

Specifically, in the case of the layout illustrated in FIG. 23, theimage sensor 10 a in FIG. 19 corresponds to an image sensor 10 c and theimage sensor 10 b in FIG. 19 corresponds to an image sensor 10 d.Further, illumination devices L31 to L42 in FIG. 23 correspond to theillumination devices L11 to L22 in FIG. 19, respectively. Therefore, theinstallation position specifying unit 314 generates the attributeinformation on the image sensors 10 c and 10 d using the attributeinformation on the image sensors 10 a and 10 b and generates theattribute information on the illumination devices L31 to L42 using theattribute information on the illumination devices L11 to L22. Then, theinstallation position specifying unit 314 registers the attributeinformation generated for the image sensors 10 c and 10 d and theillumination devices L31 to L42 in the sensor DB 341 and the device DB342.

Thus, in this modification example, since the attribute information onthe image sensors 10 and the electric devices 20 with another layoutsimilar to the layout can be generated using the attribute informationgenerated for the image sensors 10 and the electric devices having thespecific layout, the attribute information can efficiently be generated.

Values different from the values assigned to the image sensors 10 a and10 b and the illumination devices L11 to L22 are assumed to be assignedfor the identification IDs or the IP addresses of the image sensors 10 cand 10 d and the illumination devices L31 to L42. Further, when thesetting information is registered for the image sensors 10 a and 10 band the illumination devices L11 to L22, this setting information may beuseful for the image sensors 10 c and 10 d and the illumination devicesL31 to L42.

In the above-described embodiment, the management terminal 30 has beenconfigured to include the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342, but theinvention is not limited thereto. An external device (for example, a DBserver or the like) which the management terminal 30 can access may beconfigured to include the sensor DB 341 and the device DB 342. In theabove-described embodiment, the management terminal 30 has beenconfigured to include the demand control unit 316 that performs thepower controlling on the electric devices 20, but the invention is notlimited thereto. An external device may be configured to include thedemand control unit 316.

A program executed by the management terminal 30 according to theabove-described embodiment is provided to be incorporated in advanceinto the storage medium (the ROM 32 or the storage unit 34) included inthe management terminal 30, but the invention is not limited thereto. Aninstallable or executable file may be recorded in a computer-readablerecording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or aDVD (Digital Versatile Disk) so as to be supplied. Further, the storagemedium is not limited to a medium independent from a computer or anincorporated system, but an example of the storage medium may alsoinclude a storage medium that stores or temporarily stores a programdelivered and downloaded via a LAN, the Internet, or the like.

Further, the program executed by the management terminal 30 according tothe above-described embodiment may be stored on a computer connected toa network such as the Internet and downloaded via the network so as tobe supplied. Alternatively, the program may be provided or distributedvia a network such as the Internet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   100 IMAGE SENSOR SYSTEM    -   10, 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 10 d IMAGE SENSOR    -   20 ELECTRIC DEVICE    -   30 MANAGEMENT TERMINAL    -   31 CPU    -   311 IMAGE ACQUISITION UNIT    -   312 SENSOR ATTRIBUTE GENERATION UNIT    -   313 DEVICE ATTRIBUTE GENERATION UNIT    -   314 INSTALLATION POSITION SPECIFYING UNIT    -   315 LAYOUT ANALYSIS UNIT    -   316 DEMAND CONTROL UNIT    -   32 ROM    -   33 RAM    -   34 STORAGE UNIT    -   341 SENSOR DB    -   342 DEVICE DB    -   35 OPERATION UNIT    -   36 DISPLAY UNIT    -   37 COMMUNICATION UNIT    -   41 INFRARED SENSOR    -   L ILLUMINATION DEVICE    -   D DESK

1. (canceled)
 2. An information processing apparatus communicativelyconnected to an image sensor that is installed at the ceiling of abuilding, captures images of surroundings of a control target devicewhich is to be a target of controlling and detects any one ofpresence/absence, a density and an amount of activity of people,comprising: an attribute information generation unit that generates, byusing the images captured by the image sensor, attribute information ofthe control target device which is under jurisdiction of at least one ofthe image sensor; a management unit that manages the attributeinformation of the control target device generated by the attributeinformation generation unit in association with the control targetdevice and the image sensor having jurisdiction over the control targetdevice; and a demand control unit that controls the control targetdevice based on any one of the presence/absence, density and amount ofactivity of people detected by the image sensor.
 3. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the attributeinformation generation unit recognizes a predetermined character stringincluded in the images captured by the image sensor, and generates therecognized character string as the attribute information.
 4. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theattribute information generation unit detects an image in which a changeoccurs in accordance with powering on of the control target device fromthe images captured by the image sensor, and generates attributeinformation in which at least one of the image sensor that captured theimage is associated with the powered-on control target device.
 5. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein theattribute information generation unit specifies a relative positionalrelationship of the powered-on control target device with respect to theimage sensor from a state of the change in the detected image, andgenerates information representing the positional relationship as theattribute information.
 6. The information processing apparatus accordingto claim 5, wherein the attribute information generation unit divides animaging range of the image sensor based on the specified relativepositional relationship, and generates attribute information in whicheach of divided detection areas is associated with the control targetdevice which belongs to the each of detection areas.
 7. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising adetermination unit that determines whether the detection areas overlapeach other between the image sensors based on identity of the controltarget device associated with the detection areas of the image sensors.8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, furthercomprising an overlap resolution unit that assigns the control targetdevice, which belongs to the each of detection areas determined tooverlap by the determination unit, between the image sensors associatedwith the detection areas.
 9. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 7, further comprising an addition unit that addsinstruction information, which indicates overlapping, to the detectionareas of the respective image sensor determined to overlap by thedetermination unit.
 10. The information processing apparatus accordingto claim 2, further comprising a storage unit that stores layoutinformation indicating an arrangement position and a layout of eachobject including the control target device and the image sensorinstalled in each room, wherein the attribute information generationunit recognizes, from the images captured by the image sensor, thelayout of the object included in the images, and generates arrangementpositions of the control target device and the image sensor specifiedfrom the layout information similar to the recognized layout as theattribute information.
 11. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein, by using the attribute informationgenerated for the control target device and the image sensor of thespecified layout, the attribute information generation unit generatesattribute information of other control target device and an other imagesensor having layout similar to the specified layout.
 12. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when thechange cannot be detected from the image captured by the image sensor atthe time of turning on the control target device, the attributeinformation generation unit generates attribute information in which thecontrol target device is associated with an other sensor device, aftercompleting the generation of the attribute information of the imagesensor.
 13. An information processing method performed by an informationprocessing apparatus communicatively connected to an image sensor thatis installed at the ceiling of a building, captures images ofsurroundings of a control target device which is to be a target ofcontrolling and detects any one of presence/absence, a density and anamount of activity of people, the method comprising: generating, by anattribute information generation unit, attribute information of thecontrol target device which is under jurisdiction of the image sensor byusing the images captured by the image sensor; managing, by a managementunit, the attribute information of the control target device generatedby the attribute information generation unit in association with thecontrol target device and the image sensor having jurisdiction over thecontrol target device; and controlling, by a demand control unit, thecontrol target device based on any one of the presence/absence, densityand amount of activity of people detected by the image sensor.
 14. Acomputer program product having a non-transitory computer readablemedium including programmed instructions, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted by a computer of an information processing apparatus, which iscommunicatively connected to an image sensor that is installed at theceiling of a building, captures images of surroundings of a controltarget device which is to be a target of controlling and detects any oneof a presence/absence, a density and an amount of activity of people,cause the computer to perform: generating, by using the images capturedby the image sensor, attribute information of the control target devicewhich is under jurisdiction of at least one of the image sensor;managing the attribute information of the control target devicegenerated by the generating in association with the control targetdevice and the image sensor having jurisdiction over the control targetdevice; and controlling, by a demand control unit, the control targetdevice based on any one of the presence/absence, density and amount ofactivity of people detected by the image sensor.